This section provides guidance to Administrations and officials involved with oil pollution casualties so that they may effectively mitigate the effects of such accidents, particularly in relation to the salvage of vessels and cargo.

This manual addresses oil pollution problems rather than safety measures. It is a particularly useful guide for Governments of developing countries and for those persons directly associated with the sea transportation and transfer of oil.

The manual is divided into six sections: Section III Salvage (1997 edition) The Manual on Oil Pollution currently consists of four sections (sections V and VI are imminent), some of which have already been revised since they were first published.

Section III Salvage was first published in 1983 and has now been extensively revised by the Marine Environment Protection Committee to extend its coverage to include substances other than oil. Section III of the Manual is intended to be used in conjunction with the national contingency plan that will have been prepared as described in the recently revised section II Contingency Planning. The guidance in section III will help Administrations and officials involved with oil pollution casualties effectively to mitigate the effects of accidents, whether there is a spillage from a tanker or the release of bunkers from dry cargo vessels or passenger vessels.

A​​s a specialized agency of the United Nations, IMO is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

In other words, its role is to create a level playing-field so that ship operators cannot address their financial issues by simply cutting corners and compromising on safety, security and environmental performance. This approach also encourages innovation and efficiency.

Shipping is a truly international industry, and it can only operate effectively if the regulations and standards are themselves agreed, adopted and implemented on an international basis. And IMO is the forum at which this process takes place.